House of the Week: 3401 James St., Unit 1

Unit 1 of James Plaza Townhomes has an advantage over 17 of the other units in the complex: morning sunlight.

The two-story end unit in the U-shaped complex of English Tudor condos at 3401 James St. in Eastwood has 1,568 square feet and is for sale for $124,500.

The townhouses opened in 1929, and many of the original features -- hardwood floors, arched doorways and wood-burning fireplaces -- remain.

The original tenants were the "spoiled rich kids" from the mansions that once lined James street, Trudy Eiler told resident David Hildenbrand.

"This was their starter place," said Hildenbrand, who has lived in one of the townhomes since 1983.

Eiler grew up on Highland Avenue. Her mother was a Van Duyn, which was one of Syracuse's early and well-known families. A school and a hospital were named after family members. Her father, E.F. Southworth, owned Iroquois Publishing Co., which printed textbooks. Eiler told Hildenbrand she remembers being in the townhouses when she was a young girl.

In an old photograph from 1929 or the early 1930s, the complex's sign reads "James Plaza" and is shaped like an artist's palette, perhaps to appeal to the young and artistic.

The condo for sale, No. 1, faces south, toward downtown, with the outdoor wall facing east and parallel to James street.

The complex is between Midler Avenue and Thompson Road, and is three miles from downtown. A Centro bus stops in front of the complex.

"This is walkable Eastwood," Hildenbrand said. "I put 5,000 miles on my car a year. That's 7,000 lower than the national average."

The condo's arched entry door opens into a foyer. On the left is a half-bath with room enough only for a toilet and a small sink. Next to the bath is a coat closet, and then a flight of stairs leading upstairs to three bedrooms and one bath.

To the right, through an arched doorway, is a large living room, nearly 22 feet long and 12 feet wide. On one end is a wood-burning fireplace with original tiles. On each side of the fireplace is a narrow window.

The small-paned windows in the living room and throughout the house are energy-efficient replacement windows designed to look like the original windows.

Another arched doorway leads to a dining room, with windows on two walls and space enough for a table that can accommodate at least six for dinner. The hardwood floors from the living room continue into the dining room.

The galley kitchen, which has an efficient working triangle, opens to both the dining room and the front hallway. The floors are parquet. The appliances, including an electric stove and refrigerator, remain, but are dated. The cabinets provide plenty of storage.

The kitchen is large enough to have a small breakfast table under a window looking out on the common yard. The kitchen door opens out to a narrow walkway, which has room enough for a small bistro table. The common area, including a large yard and a wooded area, can be seen and accessed from the walkway.

The three bedrooms upstairs have hardwood floors. Each room has a closet, and there is a linen closet in the hallway.

The master bedroom is large, 16 feet by 14 feet, and has the original eight-panel doors and hardware.

The bathroom has original yellow tile and a marble threshold. It has a tub with shower, sink and toilet, with little space to spare.

Either of the two smaller bedrooms could easily become a den or office.

The condo has central air conditioning and is connected to city water and sewer. The tile roof is 5 1/2 years old.

The unfinished basement houses an oversized forced-air natural gas furnace and a laundry area. It's a huge space, 35 feet by 20 feet, and is plumbed, so a bathroom could be added. The ceiling is just over 8 feet high. There is also attic storage.

If you have a nominee for House of the Week, e-mail Kathleen Poliquin at home@syracuse.com, tell her what is special about the house for sale and include a small digital photo or two. Please include a phone number, so she can call you. She's looking for houses in all price ranges.